Authors
Bengt Pohjanen
Bengt Pohjanen was born in the village of Kassa in Pajala, Torne River Valley, in 1944. Today, he works as a trilingual author and lives in Haparanda. Bengt Pohjanen's literary production consists of novels, plays and screenplays. He also translates prose and lyrics. Torne River Valley and its history are a distinguishing theme in Pohjanen's literary production. His work has been translated into Russian, English, Danish, French, German, Finnish and also into Meänkieli. Bengt Pohjanen's plays have twice been presented at the Bonner Biennale in Germany and his radio play Icon Painter has competed for the Prix Italia prize.
Kaj Chydenius
Kaj Chydenius (born in 1939) lives in Helsinki. He is a well-known musician and a composer, whose diverse career began at the beginning of the 60's. He has also worked in the field of musical theatre in Sweden in cooperation with, for example, director Lennart Hjulström. Chydenius was a co-founder of the legendary KOM theatre at the beginning of the 70's. Several artists and choirs have performed Kaj's compositions, many of which have become evergreens to the Finns. Chydenius received the Pro Finlandia Medal in 1996 and in 2006, he received the state award in the art of music. Together with Bengt Pohjanen, Kaj Chydenius authors the trilogy on the history of Torne River Valley. The trilogy began with the Joppausooppera (Smuggler opera) in 2004—2005 in Pello and Övertorneå. The Smuggler opera was followed by the Laestadiusuuppera (Laestadius opera) in 2007—2008 in Pajala and now it ends with the War opera in 2009 in HaparandaTornio.
Bengt Pohjanen and Kaj Chydenius
Krigsoperan-Sotaooppera, Storgatan 92, 953 23 Haparanda. Tfn. +46 (0)922-151 56, 151 57. krigsoperan@haparanda.se